Four people were arrested early Wednesday morning during simultaneous drug raids in the city of Jamestown, one that uncovered a quantity of fentanyl....
City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says the Jamestown Metro... and, Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Forces, along with Ellicott Town Police, executed search warrants at both 58 East Cowden Place, and 21 Hazard Street , about 4:30 AM. At 58 East Cowden, police found a quantity of crystal methamphetamine, and a 22-calibur rifle. Samuelson says they arrested both 47 year-old Ryan Robertson, and 43 year-old Dennis Annis on drug possession charges, and Robertson was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. At 21 Hazzard Street, Samuelson says police found quantities of crystal meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. Both 29 year-old Craig Van Hook and 27 year-old Kirsten Martinez were arrested on drug possession charges, and Van Hook is accused of trying to flush some of the drugs down a toilet. Martinez also faces five counts of endangering the welfare of a child. All four were sent to the city jail pending arraignment. If you have any information on alleged drug trafficking, call the JPD Tips line at 483-TIPS. You can also contact their Tips 4-1-1 app.
State Senator-elect George Borrello agrees that spending cuts need to be considered by state lawmakers in the wake of a projected 3 to 4-billion dollar budget deficit.....
Governor Andrew Cuomo recently noted that balloning Medicaid spending has been a "major problem..." and is the culprit creating the shortfall. Borrello says the problem, though, is with the program itself, which spends the most of any Medicaid system in the country.
Cuomo is considering a number of budgetary maneuvers to address the shortfall before the end of the current fiscal year next March 31st. A recent state comptroller's report says the governor should provide more specifics on the shortfall and his administration's response as soon as possible. Borrello says he's concerned that this may lead to a push for a "Single-Payer" health care system. The Cuomo administration is blaming the shortfall on costly long-term care, increasing enrollment, less federal funding and payments to financially distressed hospitals.
The ribbon has been cut on a new gift shop that has offcially opened in downtown Jamestown, close to the National Comedy Center and Jamestown Brewing Company....
Mayor Sam Teresi, and officials from the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation and the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce were on hand to help open Dot's Gift Boutique at 111 West Third Street. It's the former U-S News location. Co-owners Micki McCray, and her sister Julie Wooten, began looking into going into business about two years ago and, Micki says the name comes from their grandmother.
Micki says they were joined by her husband, Weber-Knapp President Rex McCray, and daughter Shannon in getting started. She says they offer a range of well-known and unique brands and designs -- including one of a kind jewelry, hand-made accessories, and colorful household items. Micki McCray says they've already been open about three weeks, and the reception has been "very good." Dot's is open 10 AM to 5 PM Monday's through Friday's, and 11 AM to 4 PM on Saturday's. Their phone number is 489-3003.
Snow and icy conditions are snarling traffic and closing or delaying schools in parts of the Northeast and South....
The National Weather Service says the snow total had surpassed 10 inches at the Buffalo airport Tuesday morning. Rochester will eventually be digging out from a similar amount. Northern New England was expected to get between 7 inches and 14 inches of snow. Numerous vehicle accidents were reported, as well as school closings and delays in western New York. The South also felt the chill with light snow blanketing cars in Memphis, Tennessee. Warming centers opened in the city, where temperatures fell into the low 20s. Some West Tennessee schools were closed, and about 20 school systems delayed opening across north Alabama.
